Cadillac planning high-end halo car for 2015 production in Detroit

By Andrew Hard Published September 22, 2014

Cadillac Elmiraj — Image used with permission by copyright holder

When somebody says “Cadillac,” usually the first thing that comes to mind the Escalade, or perhaps the DeVille if you’re a really big Joe Nichols fan.

Cadillac may be looking to change that with the production of a new flagship, which could be called the LTS.

Recommended Videos

LTS doesn’t quite roll off the tongue quite like the other brand associations do, but the vehicle itself may make up for it.

The LTS name began circulating in August, when we reported that a sleek production coupe based on the Elmiraj concept (pictured) would debut at the 2015 NY Auto Show.

GM has just announced plans to build a new flagship in Detroit next year, and although Cadillac didn’t mention the LTS by name, the timeline fits for it to be a four-door version of the LTS/Elmiraj.

The range-topping Caddy is slated to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2015 in the Motor City, positioned above the CTS and XTS lines to “lift the Cadillac range by entering the elite class of top-level luxury cars,” said Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac President.

“Currently in development, this new rear wheel drive-oriented sedan uses completely new, custom-designed materials on a unique vehicle architecture,” he continued.

Related: It won’t have tail fins, but Cadillac’s rumored convertible will have style

Since the technology-packed halo car will be constructed with new parts and an original platform, what engines the sedan will use are anybody’s guess. Given its place at the top of Cadillac’s line, though, the 420–horsepower turbo V6 from the CTS-V and a V8 are almost a given.

What we do know, however, is the still-unnamed luxury car will be built at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan, which recently received a $384 million investment by the American automaker. Equipment specifically designed for the flagship is currently being installed at the facility.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

Cars

The gas-guzzling Cadillac Escalade is going all-electric with the IQ

2020 cadillac xt5 gains turbo four engine sport model

It looks the gas-guzzling Escalade is headed for a more eco-friendly future. General Motors has announced that it's working on an all-electric version of the large SUV set to be called the Escalade IQ.

Very little about the Escalade IQ is known at this point, apart from the fact that it exists and that it will be called the IQ. Presumably, the new SUV will be built on GM's Ultium platform, which is the platform underpinning the Chevrolet Equinox and Silverado, along with the GMC Hummer EV.

Cars

GM plans to phase out Apple CarPlay for EVs, go all-in on Android integration

Interior of the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV.

General Motors plans to stop using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity in future EVs in favor of infotainment systems developed with Google based on the company's tech. First reported by Reuters, the move is surprising given the popularity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which allow users to project content from smartphones onto a car's touchscreen, bypassing the native infotainment systems.

GM's decision to stop offering these systems on future EVs, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, could help the automaker capture more customer data, Reuters noted, providing insight into how vehicles are used. But it will likely be detrimental to the user experience, as customers will have to learn to use built-in infotainment systems, rather than the smartphone interfaces they're used to.

Cars

‘The cars are the stars.’ How automakers are electrifying the racetrack

The number 60 Acura ARX-06 GTP race car at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Racing is the soul of the auto industry. It’s the purest expression of the engineering that makes cars possible, and the thing they were engineered to do in the first place — be driven. While it can be full of arcane rules that make government regulations and customer clinics seem like child’s play, racing is where cars are built to be cars, and where drivers are just drivers. And like the rest of the industry, the racing world is now grappling with the need for electrification.

Many automakers have built their reputations on the track, and some are hoping to sprinkle a bit of that motorsports magic dust on their plans to curb internal-combustion engines. Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche just debuted hybrid race cars in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a 24-hour race held at Florida’s Daytona International Speedway that’s one of the biggest events on the racing calendar.